


Later (there will be time)

by privateerwrites



Series: Musketeer March 2021 [12]
Category: The Musketeers (2014)
Genre: Angst, Fluff, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Savoy, for once, tho there is also some fluff too
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-13
Updated: 2021-03-13
Packaged: 2021-03-20 20:28:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 700
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30010518
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/privateerwrites/pseuds/privateerwrites
Summary: Musketeer March Day 12- SavoyPorthos and Athos find a body on the side of the road while looking for 22 missing Musketeers. Turns out, it's one of the men they're looking for.
Relationships: Aramis | René d'Herblay & Athos | Comte de la Fère & Porthos du Vallon
Series: Musketeer March 2021 [12]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2188632
Comments: 4
Kudos: 19





	Later (there will be time)

There is a body.   
  
There is a body wrapped in a flag.   
  
There is a body wrapped in a flag, and it is cold, and Porthos' horse is shifting underneath him like it, too, would rather be somewhere much warmer.   
  
There is a body wrapped in a flag, sitting on the side of the road in early March, and there is snow on the ground, and Porthos thinks the person in the flag might be dead.   
  
Athos groans and slides to the ground from off of his horse. Porthos dismounts as well, and together they kneel over the man in the flag. They flip him over onto his back, pull the fabric away from his face and upper body gently. His lips are blue and his skin is far, far too pale. He has a bandage wrapped around his head, stained red with blood and still wet.   
  
Porthos looks at Athos out of the corner of his eye. Their eyes meet, and an agreement is reached without words that this man is probably one of the Musketeers for whom they're looking- Aramis d'Herblay, missing along with 21 other Musketeers on a training mission near the border with Savoy.   
  
Porthos and Athos have been looking for twelve hours now, and this man, who matches the description Treville gave them well enough that they are reasonably certain he is the person they want, is the first sign of any of the group.   
  
Porthos starts to lift the man's shoulders off the ground, but Athos holds his hand out towards him and shakes his head.   
  
"Wake him first," Athos says softly. "He may be injured beyond what we can see."   
  
Porthos grabs the man by the flag and shakes him, gently. His eyes fly open, sudden and unexpected, deep, entrancing brown, and he groans out something that's probably meant to be a threat but rather sounds like a sob in his current condition.   
  
"I-," he starts, his voice is a crackling whisper.   
  
"Stay quiet," Athos says firmly. "Nod or shake your head."   
  
He nods, once.   
  
"You are Aramis d'Herblay, of the King's Musketeers?"   
  
Nod.   
  
"You've been on a training mission?"   
  
Emotions flick across his face faster than Porthos can parse them, and he nods, carefully. Porthos feels his skin and wraps his cloak around the man, wanting, at least, to warm him up a little before they take him anywhere.   
  
"Where are-," Athos starts.   
  
"Dead," the man- Aramis- says flatly, his voice rough and torn and ragged.   
  
Athos tilts his head in disbelief.   
  
"They're all-," Aramis says, and then, as if the warmth from Porthos' cloak has suddenly kicked in, his teeth begin chattering.   
  
Athos opens his mouth as if to ask another question, but Porthos shakes his head.   
  
"Can you walk," he asks. The man shrugs, shivering more violently by the second.   
  
"Alright," Porthos mutters. "Anythin' broken?" Aramis shakes his head.   
  
"Alright," he says again. He moves his arm around Aramis' waist and kneels carefully, draping Aramis' arm over his shoulders and wrapping his arm around Aramis' waist, lifting up with a gentle push through his feet.   
  
They sway a little when Porthos finishes straightening up, and Athos carefully slides his arm around Aramis' waist from the other side now that they're standing.   
  
"You're safe, Aramis, don't worry."   
  
Athos and Porthos share a look around Aramis, and it is decided, in that look, that they'll put him with Porthos. They boost him up clumsily into Porthos' saddle, making sure that he doesn't topple over before Porthos gets a chance to settle in behind him.   
  
"Are you okay there," Athos asks gently up at Aramis. He nods, and Athos takes this as confirmation and swings into his own saddle.   
  
"Let's go home."   
  
And they do.   
  
Later, there is time for an explanation. Later, Porthos learns what it feels like to hold Aramis when he cries. Later, Athos learns, for the first time, how to hold back Treville's questions for the sake of Aramis' sanity.   
  
Later, there is time to heal.   
  
For now, though, they return to the warmth of Paris and the safety of the garrison, ready, at least, to be rid of the flag and the cold and the ache of death.

**Author's Note:**

> Comments and kudos greatly appreciated!
> 
> I'm also on tumblr at privateerstudies!


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